Wave-energy motor.



C. M. RHODES.

' WAVE ENERGY MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

1 ,04, 9 1 3 Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

4 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS C. M. RHODES. WAVE ENERGY MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1912,

Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS 0. M. RHODES.

WAVE ENERGY MOTOR. APPLIUATION FILED APR. 6, 1912 LQQQ QI 3 PatentedNov. 19, 1912.

4 8HEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 0. M. RHODES.

WAVE ENERGY MOTOR.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 6, 1912.

Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES lit. ltnooes, a citizen of the United Statesof r'linericz residing at Steubenville, in the county Jefferson andState of Ohio, have inven; certain new and useful improvements nFave-Energy l /l o'tors, of which the following isa specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention. is an improvement upon my pending application for patenton wave e nergy motors filed May 5th, 1911, Serial No. 625,141.

Besides having the some objects in vievv as disclosed in mypendingapplication. the present invention aims to provide a wave energymotor embod ing simple and elteotive means for imparting a continuousrotary movement to a shaft from the nndulrv t-ory movement of a floatupon the surface of Waves.

My invention further aims to provide a wave power energy motor capableof with standing the forces of nature to which a motor of this type issubjected, to provide a motor of the above type by which a maximumdegree of power can be obtained from minimum decree of action and toaccomplish the above results by a mechanical construction thatis notonly. highly eliicient for the purposes for Wil i i it is intended, but01"" such construction as to Warrant its use as a: substitute for steamin furnishing; power in towns and cities in the vicinity of the ocean.

My invention further aims to accomplish the above results by acombination of 1119." chanical elements that Will be hereinafterspeciiicillydescribed and then claimed, and reference will non be had tothe drawings. wherein there is illustrated the principles of myinvention, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mtor accordancewith this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view ofthe same, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the motor, Figs. 4 and 5are enlarged elevations of pinions and racks. forming part ot' the.

motor, Fig". 6 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the pinions of:the motor, and Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional VlQW oi the same.

Further describing my invention "with reference to the drawings, likenumerals lb-- note corresponding parts througlunn: l and serial 17c.

upright that are suitablv an- "1 1 L V A .L

noted in the ocean and within casv reach ironi the shore. whereby powerfrom the motor can be en ll transit .red to shore.

denotes angle bars connecting the no rights of each set. at the upperends thereof, and the angle bars are connected by trans verse angle bars4- and transvers 2 supports 5 denotes transverse anglebars connectingthe upr C s of one to the uprights oi. the other t, and n'lounted uponthese or bars vertical oppositely disposed ccsi s 7 that have the upperends thercoi connectcd to the ang e'bars 4. In eachcasing are oppositelydisposed vertical guide racks o and diagonally disposed. power racks 9and 10. llleshing with the racks Sure pinions 11. loosely mounted upon afloat shaft 152, said shaft extending; from one casing to the other andthe pinions 1-1. are ample l to insure a uniform movement; of the shattrelatively to said casn l3 denotes hubs mounted upon the ends of theshaft 152 and extending into the casings i. The hubs 13, intermediatethe ends tln reoi have peripheral thing 14.- and a1 ranged upon said huband adapted to rotate therewith in certain directions are power pinions15 and 1c. the pinions l5 meshing; with the racks 9 and the pinions l6incshii'ig with the racks The pinions are retained upon the hub by endWashers ET. The pinions l5 and 16 1. provided with circun1- lcrentiallyarranged recesses 18 containin bodies 19, preferably in the iilGiil'l ofnach recs has a h." 'd and a bodies are held in the small ends of there-- ces and cause the piziions to rx-svolve in the same direction asthe hub ill/Q pinions 15 and 16 are arranged whereby the pinions 15 willrevolve with the hub in one direction or the pinions 1G with the hub inthe opposi direction. Vi hilc one set pinc n "t a m x -1 b:- 1MP... isn( cm... the (iclLL so i 1., u t. inc on Q '13 are cccentricall vmounted upon the ends oi? the shalt 12, as best shown In Fig; 0i"- lhedrawings and in consequence of this arrang 'enient. t of pinious 15 andd (Hi eration of the motor.

20 denotes straps mounted upon the confronting ends of the hubs 13 ands'upportin a blade 21. The'blade 21 has an integra hollow cylindricalfloat 22 and the top of said float, at opposite sides of the shaft 12,

is provided with bearings 23. Pivotally connected to the bearings 23 arethe reduced ends 24 of rack casings 25, each casing containing two racks26 and 27. 28 denotes bearings mounted upon the supports 5 and journaledin said bearings is a power shaft- 29 having a balance wheel 30 and agear wheel'31. Mounted upon the shaft 29, between the bearings 28, aresets of concentric hubs 32 provided with concentric pinions 33 and 34,said pinions being constructed upon the same principle as the pinions 15and 16, that is, with the drive bodies for engaging said hubs. The rackcasings 25 inclose the pinions 33 and 34:, and said pinions mesh withthe racks 27 and 26 respectively; The rack casings are slotted, as at 35to provide clearance for the shaft 29 and the hubs thereof, andrevolubly mounted upon the hubs are anti-frictional rollers 36 engagingthe walls of the slots 35. The rollers 36 are retained upon the hubs bysleeves 37 secured 'to said hubs, as .at 38.

39. denotes a small gear wheel meshing with the gear wheel 31 and thesmall gear wheels mounted upon the shaft 40, journalod in bearings 41,carried by the supports 5. It is from the shaft 40 that power is derivedfor operating a motor or other machinery.

Loosely mounted upon the hubs 13 are closure plates 42 that normallyclose the rack casings 7.

Operation: An undulatory movement or the lateral impulse of a wavecauses the blade 21 andthe float 22 to swing, rise and lower in the pierstructure formed by the elements 1 to 6 inclusive. As the float '22 isswung, the rack casings 25 are moved to impart a rotary movementto theshaft 29 through the medium of the pinions 33 and I 34 and the racks 26and'27.

rotary movement to the power shaft 29. even movement of the shaft 12 isinsured 6.5.

When the float 22 is elevated as well as moved by the lateral impulse ofa wave, a set of pinions 15 or 16, due to the action of the eccentrichubs 13 is swung into mesh with a set of racks 9 or 10 and owing to theengagement of a set of pinions with a set of racks the float iselevated, the shaft 12 will be rotated and in so doing cooperating withthe rack casings 25 in further imparting a by the'pinions l1,consequently the float 22 matter from entering the casings and inter- Afering with the operation of the mechanism therein.

It is believed that the manner in which the racks and the pinionscooperate with the' float in producing 'a rotary movement from theundulatory movement of a wave Wlll be apparent without furtherdescriptlon, and while in the drawings there is illustrated a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structuralelements thereof are susceptible to such varlations and modifications asfall within the scope oft-he appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a wave energy motor, a pier structure, oppositelydisposed rack casings carried thereby, a float shaft having the endsthereof movably supported within said rack casings, a float movable withsaidshaft and adapted to be moved by the undulatory movement of a wave,a power shaft revolubly supported bysaid pier. structure, pinionsmovable with said shaft in different directions, and rack casingsinclosing said pinions and having the lower ends thereof connected tosaid float at opposite sides of said float shaft for imparting a rotarymovement go-said power shaft from a movement of said oat.

2. In a wave energy motor, a pier structure, oppositely disposed rackcasings carried thereby, a float shaft having the ends thereof movablyarranged within said casings, pinions at the ends of said float shaftand Ineshing-' With the racks within said casings, a float suspendedfrom said float shaft and movable therewith, a power shaft revolublysupported by said pier structure, sets of. pinions carried thereby andadapted to revolve with said shaft in different directions, andrajckcasings inclosing said pinions and having the lower ends thereofpivotally connected to said float to impart a movement to said pinions"when said float is moved by ings, a float suspended from said floatshaft and movable therewith, a power shaft revol'ubly supported by saidpier structure, sets of pinions carried thereby and adapt d to.-

revolve with said shaft in diflerent ire'othe undulatory movement of awave, and

closure plates movable with the ends of said float shaft for normallyclosing the first mentioned rack casings.

4. In a wave energy motor, apier structure, oppositely disposed rackcasings carried thereby, sets of racks arranged within said casings, a.float shaft having the ends thereof extending into said casings, pinionscarried by the ends of said shaft and meshing with some of said racks,pinions eccentrio-ally supported bv the ends of said shaft and adaptedto alternately mesh with the other racks of said casings, a floatsuspended from said shall and movable therewith, a

.20 power shaft revolubly supported by said pier structure, and meansincluding rack casings actuated by said float tor imparting a' 1'0- tarymovement to said power shaft.

thereby, a float shaft having the ends thereof guided within saidcasings, a float suspended from said shaft and movable therewith,'apower shaft revolubly mounted upon said pier structure, sets of pinionscarried t iereby and movable with said shaft in different directions,drive bodies movably arranged within said pinions and adapted to causesaid shaft to move with said pinions in different directions, and rackcasings inclosing said pinions and having the lower ends thereofconnected to said float and adapted to impart a movement to said pinionsfrom an undulatory' movement of said float.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES M. RHODES.

Witnesses MAX H. SRoLovrrz, CHRISTINA T. HOOD.

